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constraints

Precision in prompt engineering can be greatly improved if you add precise constraints and success criteria. This helps guide the AI model on what it can and cannot do. This will lead to a much more professional outputs.

Constraint categories can be summarised in the following way:

  • CONTENT CONSTRAINTS:
    • What to include/exclude, topic boundaries, accuracy requirements
  • STYLE CONSTRAINTS:
    • Voice, tone, formality, perspective, complexity level
  • TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS:
    • Platform compatibility, character limits, formatting requirements
  • BRAND CONSTRAINTS:
    • Messaging guidelines, prohibited language, required terminology
  • LEGAL CONSTRAINTS:
    • Compliance requirements, disclaimers, regulatory considerations
  • AUDIENCE CONSTRAINTS:
    • Reading level, cultural sensitivity, accessibility needs

You do not need to set all of these - but it’s a great way to tune the way the AI model behaves and the quality of the work.

Let’s do an example in a complex business scenario:

‘We want to write website copy for a new B2B software product launch’.

Let’s walk through some constraints to make that happen:

  1. Content constraints

    2. What must be included: Features, benefits, pricing, contact info

    What to exclude: Technical jargon, competitor names, unproven claims

    Accuracy requirements: All statistics must be verifiable

  2. Style constraints

    3. Voice: Professional but approachable expert

    Tone: Confident without overselling, helpful not pushy

    Complexity: Accessible to non-technical decision makers

  3. Technical constraints

    4. Mobile-optimised formatting

    SEO-friendly with target keywords

    Fast loading (minimal heavy graphics)

  4. Brand constraints

    5. Use "streamline" not "disrupt"

    Focus on "efficiency gains" not "cost cutting"

    Maintain "helpful expert" positioning

  5. Legal constraints

    6. Include privacy policy link

    Avoid guaranteeing specific results

    Comply with industry advertising standards

Here is what the prompt could look like:

  • You are a senior B2B copywriter with expertise in software product launches...
  • [Include all your constraints here in a structured format]
  • CONTENT CONSTRAINTS: [Your specifications]
  • STYLE CONSTRAINTS: [Your specifications]
  • TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS: [Your specifications]
  • BRAND CONSTRAINTS: [Your specifications]
  • LEGAL CONSTRAINTS: [Your specifications]"

Success target: AI respects 95%+ of your specified constraints without additional prompting”

Now give it a go and see what it looks like!

Conclusion

Effective constraints transform AI outputs from generic to precise, tailored responses that meet specific requirements. By systematically defining parameters across multiple constraint categories, you'll consistently achieve professional quality results that require minimal revision.